Calendar

Admission Standards

General Information

Oakwood University welcomes applicants regardless of race, color, nationality, ethnicity, sex, or physical challenges. Students who meet the academic requirements and character expectations of the university and are willing to adjust to and to be comfortable within its religious, social, and cultural atmosphere may be admitted subject to available space.

Oakwood University is sponsored and financed primarily by the Seventh-day Adventist Church,of which the majority of its students are members. Although religious affiliation is not a requirement for admission, all students are expected to abide by the policies and standards of the university as outlined in the University Bulletin and in the Student Handbook. Applicants are required to sign a pledge agreeing to the Code of Student Conduct prior to completing registration.

The university reserves the right to refuse admission to any applicant who purposely supplies wrongful information or deliberately omits pertinent information. Such deception, if discovered later, may cause a student to be subject to dismissal.

Admission to the university does not guarantee admission to a specific department or program.Applications for general admission will be kept on file for one year. The University Board of Trustees, upon recommendation by the president, approves all admission policies.

Application and Acceptance

Where to Write: Inquiries about admission and acceptance should be addressed to:

Admission of new students (U.S. citizens and permanent residents) to Oakwood University is either Regular or Conditional. International, transfer, and adult and continuing education students should refer to guidelines as listed under Admission of International Applicants, Admission of Transfer Applicants and Admission of Adult and Continuing Education Applicants.

Regular Status

1. Completed application form signed and dated along with a nonrefundable $25 fee.(NO PERSONAL CHECKS)

2. Official high school transcript verifying graduation with a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.00 on a 4.00 grading scale (home school applicants see the Home School section).

OR

General Education Diploma (GED)

Recommended core curriculum for entrance to the undergraduate program (unit = 1 year):

4. One character reference, preferably sent from a principal, counselor, teacher, or pastor familiar with the student. Respondents should not be relatives.

*For deficiencies see the general education requirements

Special Conditions

1. Post-baccalaureate. A student with a bachelor’s degree who is enrolled for part-time or full-time study. Applicant must complete an application and submit official transcripts.

2. Non-degree. A student who desires to take a course or courses but has no present plans to pursue a degree. Credit hours are limited to six hours per semester. Student can take up to a maximum of 24 hours as a nondegree student. Student must reapply for admission each semester.

3. Transient. A student submitting evidence that he or she is in good and regular standing in an accredited college or university but who desires temporary admission to Oakwood University for one semester. Applicant must complete an application. All other processes are completed through the Registrar’s Office.

4. Visiting student. Refer to the Cooperative Programs section in the bulletin for details.

Home School Applicants

Transcripts from home school graduates who have completed their academic courses through Griggs University or another regionally accredited program are accepted for regular admission. The General Education Diploma (GED) is required from students who do not graduate from accredited programs.

Room Damage Deposit/Intent-to-EnrollOnce accepted, students should immediately send in the room reservation deposit/dorm fees with the housing application and the medical forms. All new students are required to submit evidence of a recent physical examination along with current immunization history (must meet Alabama state requirements) to the Office of Health & Counseling.

A one-time $200 intent-to-enroll deposit, which is non-refundable, is required for all first-time freshmen and transfer students. Students enrolling for the Fall semester must pay by May 1. Students enrolling for the Spring semester must pay by November 1.

Admission of International Applicants

Acceptance deadline is 30 days prior to the beginning of the semester.

Oakwood University is approved by the U.S. Office of Immigration and Naturalization Service for the admission of nonimmigrant students. Applicants should not leave their country with the intention of enrolling at Oakwood University without a letter of acceptance and an I-20 A-B Form from the Office of Enrollment Management. To be considered for admission, an international student must submit:

1. An application form completed, signed, and dated along with a $30.00 (U.S. currency) nonrefundable fee.

2. Official/certified academic records of all secondary, preparatory, government exams and university courses as applicable. High school credentials will be evaluated according to the guidelines of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers. College transcripts may be required to be sent to the World Education Services for evaluation. All documents must be submitted in the original language together with an English translation if the original is not English.

3. TOEFL paper-based scores/minimum of 500 and TSWE of 4.0 or Internet-based scores/minimum of 60 or computer-based scores/minimum of 173 from non-English speaking countries.

4. One character reference, preferably sent from the principal, counselor, teacher, or a pastor familiar with the student. Respondents should not be relatives.

5. ACT/SAT scores. (These must be submitted before permission to register is granted. The test is given on campus during freshmen orientation; however, it is advisable for the student to take the test before arriving if it is offered in their country.)

To obtain the Form I-20 A-B, the international student must submit an Affidavit of Support (the U.S. sponsor must submit Form I-134), medical form, and an advance security deposit of $1,000 in U.S. currency. The security deposit is refundable upon graduation or withdrawal from Oakwood University. It can only be used for an emergency, such as travel for death or sickness of an immediate family member, and must be replaced before readmission the following semester.

After acceptance students should immediately send in the room/damage deposit and the housing application form.

Please note the following immigration regulations:

Non-immigrant students applying for admission to the United States for the first time after being issued an F-1 student’s visa will not be admitted unless they intend to attend the school specified in that visa. Therefore, if before they depart for the United States students decide to attend another school, they should communicate with the issuing American consular office for the purpose of having the other school specified in the visa. Any other non-immigrant students will not be admitted to the United States unless they intend to attend the school as specified in the Form I-20 or Form I-94, which they present to the immigration officer at the port of entry.

Non-immigrant students who do not register at the school specified in their temporary entry permit (Form I-94), or whose school attendance is terminated, or who register for less than a full course of study, or who accept unauthorized employment and fail to maintain their F-1 status will not be allowed to enroll or continue enrollment until proper documentation has been received from the Immigration Naturalization Service (INS).

International students must report to the Enrollment Management Office each semester after registration so that INS clearance can be processed for immigration purposes. All students must be registered within 30 days, starting with the first day of classes. Copies of the passport, visa, I-94, and registration clearance forms must be submitted. Students who do not register during this time period may have their immigration status terminated by INS. Students with terminated records will have to reapply to INS and pay additional fees to have their files reinstated. Reinstatement is neither automatic nor guaranteed.

After Enrollment

Services available to international (F-1) students include the following:

1. Advisement in the areas of immigration regulations and documentation, financial concerns, health insurance, housing and residential life, employment, institutional policies, and matters of social and cultural adjustment.2. Orientation session for new international students on F-1 visas.

Admission of Former StudentsStudents who have not been enrolled for at least one or more semesters must complete a Returning Student Application Form from the Registrar’s Office. A fee of $15 is required.

Admission of Transfer Students/CreditsStudents wishing to transfer to Oakwood University from another regionally accredited college or university must follow the same application procedure as other new students (see Admission Categories—Regular and Conditional). Transfer students must also submit official transcript from all schools attended. A high school transcript must also be submitted. A maximum of 64 semester hours may be accepted from a junior college. A student transferring work from another college will be given credit only for work completed with grades of C- or above, and only grades of C or higher are accepted in a student’s major or minor field.

The ACT or SAT requirement will be waived if the applicant has completed one quarter or semester each of college-level English and mathematics with a grade of C (2.00) or above. Otherwise, the ACT must be taken before the student is allowed to register.

Admission for Adult and Continuing Education (LEAP)Applicants are required to be at least 25 years of age and have two years of work experience to be accepted into the program. To be considered for admission into the program, the applicant must:

1. Submit an application directly to the LEAP office.2. Request transcripts from all post-secondary institutions and have them sent directly to the LEAP office.

For more information or to request an application packet, visit www.OakwoodLeap.com or contact the LEAP office at (256) 726-7098. See also the Adult and Continuing Education section of this bulletin.